A gym can have more purposes than just a place to exercise in. For many gym members, it’s also a place to be social, release stress, and step away from the outside world. It’s a judgment-free space, full of people wanting to better themselves.
Ames’ local and popular gym of choice is the Ames Racquet and Fitness Center, which has its north and south locations. They offer a variety of fitness classes such as cycling, pilates, yoga, aquatics, and many more from 5am to 10pm while they are open. Being located in a college town, the Fitness Center is very accommodating to students, working people, and parents through their flexible hours, as well as providing free childcare! This makes it so much easier for those groups to be able to get to the gym and enjoy a good workout.
Having a close, reliable, and safe place to workout is vital to maintaining both a physically and mentally healthy community. Working out gets your body moving, helps you unplug from the outer world, and releases endorphins into your brain.
Consistently attending fitness classes can also build a strong community. If you continuously attend the same class at the same time, you will soon get to know your instructor(s) and fellow gym members. This makes for a well-connected, supportive community that is all grounded in the same thing - health and fitness.